First sports car

4,736 Views | 50 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by sodycracker
Abatt16
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AG
Hi all,

I'm at that point in my life where I'm thinking about buying a sporty car (not married, no gf, no kids, etc). I'd like used/CPO (I've been told this is the way to go), manual transmission, hard top convertible, and the general slick and fast feeling that every guy wants to get out of a sports car. I would be willing to spend ~55K on this. I currently have a truck (valued ~12K on KBB) and would most likely keep it and use the car for mostly pleasure/weekends/very occasional commute. I am military, so there's a possibility I get sent to an out of country squadron following a training stint in either Jacksonville, San Diego, or Norfolk (that stint will last about just over a year). I find out what my future location will be in about 3-4 months. If I get an out of country squadron, I will not go through with this until I come back.

I've just casually looked online at:
Corvettes
F-types
Z4s
718 Caymans

However, by no means am I a car expert and I'm not sure what I'm missing out on just by searching for things I already know. I'm really not interested in the Camaro, mustang, challenger cars. What do y'all suggest I look at/what do y'all believe is a good first sports car?


Thanks, y'all. Stay safe, wear a mask and hopefully I'll see y'all in football season.
nonameag99
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Miata, two S2000s, or three Mustangs
The Aggie number specified has already been linked with another TexAgs account.
DeWrecking Crew
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Since you've got a DD I'd look real hard at a little older cars that can be had in that price range, like a 2008 Aston Martin DB9 Volante or a 2006-2008 Bentley Continental GT, a 2008-2010 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Convertible, maybe I even a 2006-2007 R8, all those cars will turn your hair white and you'd look cool doing it.
TxSquarebody
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AWD, manual transmission....maybe build a car?
Abatt16
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Ah see?! I wasn't really aware that AWD/manual combos are rare now. That is why I come here. Thanks for the heads up.

I would most certainly value manual over AWD.
permabull
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AG
drumboy
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Carrera 4S is AWD and comes in manual or you could get a faster PDC "auto" (09+ 997.2) in that price range. Saw one in Temple on Rennlist recently.
AggieEP
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If I was in your position and could swing the two seat only life, I'd look hard at the Jag F-Type's with the supercharged 5.0. I'm not sure that can be had with a manual though, but it definitely is a sharp looking car.

Also, if I was looking for a toy only Corvette, I'd look really hard at a C6 Z06. Those things are fast and can be had with low miles for $40k. Only problem here is that it might not be quite the panty dropper a Jag or a Porsche would be because it is an 8 year old car. I'm married so I don't have to worry about attracting new females and I lust after owning one of these.

One thing that matters to me, but not might to you is the exhaust rumble. I've looked at Porsche's before, but the bland sounds they make just don't work for me. And pretty much the same can be said for any small turbo engine.
AggieEP
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Also, since you said *first sports car, I would legitimately recommend renting or borrowing a similar car to make sure you actually do enjoy driving it. The used market is flooded with lightly used luxury sports cars with 6-speeds because guys find out after about 500 miles that they actually hate rowing gears/don't know how to.

I've daily driven 6 speeds for the last nine years, but that first month was full of regret as I found out pretty fast that there is a difference between knowing how to drive stick and KNOWING how to live with it. Once I got more proficient at the skills though, I fell in love with the total driving experience.

Another thing to keep in mind, especially with the foreign sports cars is that the maintenance bills are going to shock the literal **** out of you. I looked into buying an Audi RS5 a couple of years ago and from browsing their forums found out that oil changes are $800.00 affairs and brake jobs run north of $4k. I like to pretend like I want to play with the big boys of the sports car world, but I really don't... at the end of the day I want to be able to run my cars hard without worrying about going to the poor house for oil and brakes.
Duncan Idaho
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Learn how to turn a wrench and those cost drop dramatically
schmendeler
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AG
i'd go porsche all the way, if it were me.
Duncan Idaho
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Are you looking for something to have fun in? Or something to get help you get laid? Or something to make you seem cool?

Can you work on cars? Or do you take your truck into the shop for everything thing?

The range is long from 'I cant turn a wrench, but i want to have fun and dont care about the being cool "(corvette)

To

"I want to be cool, have fun, can turn a wrench but dont care about getting laid (classic triumph, mg, sunbeam, bmw 2002, etc)

I want to have fun, cant fix cars and dont care about getting laid (miata)

Abatt16
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AG
I usually do my own things to an extent. Oil change, fluid replacement, headlights, window control units, the occasional small/medium sized part replacement. I've only ever really taken it in for tire balances/rotations. If it's something I've never done, I usually youtube it to see if I have the equipment necessary to even be able to do myself. I'm not the type of person that has an engine hoist just laying around haha.
sodycracker
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I had a similar itch 4 years ago. I opted for an older Porsche Cayman S to try it out & see if I might want to upgrade in a year or so.
Fast forward to today.... Best car & most fun I've ever had driving. I'll never sell it & don't particularly care to 'upgrade'. 6 speed, flat 6, naturally aspirated & pure awesomeness.
gggmann
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Check out the 781 GTS or S 6spd. They are a fun little weekend or light track car. The GTS commands a premium that you probably won't miss if you go for an S.
The Fife
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schmendeler said:

i'd go porsche all the way, if it were me.
951 or GTFO!
gggmann
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The Fife said:

schmendeler said:

i'd go porsche all the way, if it were me.
951 or GTFO!
Not my bag, but if you want one this is the one to get: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1988-porsche-944-turbo-24/
Slamn Sharpe
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Porsche or Corvette
The Fife
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Wow that's nice! For me it's too nice, I'd always think twice about driving something with miles that low. Maybe as a garage queen or to a nearby local car show but I don't think I'd drive anywhere other than that.
Tumble Weed
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I would get a mercedes sl. No stick, but comfortable to drive.

2nd choice would be a Porsche.

3rd choice BMW Z4.

AggieEP
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With the oil change, yes you can do that on your own and reduce the cost. With the Audi at least... Carbon Ceramic brakes are expensive no matter if you wrench it yourself or not. That was more the point of my post. Specialized low volume sports cars come with specialized parts which are sold at crazy high prices.

For me that's always been the allure of the domestic sports car world, for better or worse when you drive a Corvette, no matter how special and expensive it is, it likely shares parts with other GM vehicles which drives down the price of replacement parts. They also produce a lot of Corvettes, a further factor in making them cheap to work on/have work done on them.
permabull
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AG
Flaith
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hypeiv said:

Duncan Idaho said:

Are you looking for something to have fun in? Or something to get help you get laid? Or something to make you seem cool?

Can you work on cars? Or do you take your truck into the shop for everything thing?

The range is long from 'I cant turn a wrench, but i want to have fun and dont care about the being cool "(corvette)

To

"I want to be cool, have fun, can turn a wrench but dont care about getting laid (classic triumph, mg, sunbeam, bmw 2002, etc)

I want to have fun, cant fix cars and dont care about getting laid (miata)




So what do I buy if I do care about being cool and want to get laid!?!?!
1989 IROC-Z with a Motley Crue Dr. Feelgood tape stuck in the deck
schmendeler
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hypeiv said:

Duncan Idaho said:

Are you looking for something to have fun in? Or something to get help you get laid? Or something to make you seem cool?

Can you work on cars? Or do you take your truck into the shop for everything thing?

The range is long from 'I cant turn a wrench, but i want to have fun and dont care about the being cool "(corvette)

To

"I want to be cool, have fun, can turn a wrench but dont care about getting laid (classic triumph, mg, sunbeam, bmw 2002, etc)

I want to have fun, cant fix cars and dont care about getting laid (miata)




So what do I buy if I do care about being cool and want to get laid!?!?!
minivan. chicks dig a dude they think is already taken.

BDE = Big Dad Energy
Duncan Idaho
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Hell no...you need bon Jovi for that iroc
Duncan Idaho
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schmendeler said:

hypeiv said:

Duncan Idaho said:

Are you looking for something to have fun in? Or something to get help you get laid? Or something to make you seem cool?

Can you work on cars? Or do you take your truck into the shop for everything thing?

The range is long from 'I cant turn a wrench, but i want to have fun and dont care about the being cool "(corvette)

To

"I want to be cool, have fun, can turn a wrench but dont care about getting laid (classic triumph, mg, sunbeam, bmw 2002, etc)

I want to have fun, cant fix cars and dont care about getting laid (miata)




So what do I buy if I do care about being cool and want to get laid!?!?!
minivan. chicks dig a dude they think is already taken.

BDE = Big Dad Energy

The things chicks will do for an automatic door and 15 cup holders.

Staff Edit
jefe95
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GTR
ac04
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i'm not aware of any cayman with a removable hard top. i think you can add a hard top to a boxster though.
tony
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Also what sports car things are you wanting to do? Drive around town? Thrash it on back roads? Take it to a track?
TxLawDawg
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Disclaimer: I'm not a sports car guy. So feel free to discount my opinion or dismiss it entirely.

Even though I'm not a car guy, I get the desire for a fun car that handles great and goes fast. But in my mind there's a real find line between looking cool and looking like a total ******bag, and a lot of guys with sports cars live wholly in DB territory.

How much do you care about convertible? How often are you really going to drive around with the top down? If not a deal killer, maybe consider something like these:

2014 Porsche Cayman S 6-speed


2012 Aston Martin Vantage


2015 Dodge Viper SRT


2012 Bentley Continental GT



If you just gotta have a convertible, and this isn't a DD, go old school and really show some style.

1960 Chevrolet Corvette 283/290 Fuelie 4-Speed


1964 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible 327/365 4-Speed


1963 Jaguar XKE Series I Roadster







TXTransplant
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I acquired a 2015 6-speed Boxster S last October. It's not a hard-too, but it meets all of your other criteria.

I got a family discount, but it would have been in your price range if I'd purchased it on my own. I wasn't looking to get a sports car, but this was too good of an offer to say no.

My previous cars were a 1989 and 1994 Nissan 240 SX, a 2001 two-door Accord (all manuals), a 2007 Honda CRV, 2012 BMW X3, and 2017 Infiniti QX50.

My son will be driving the QX50 full-time in a few months, so I've gradually made the Boxster my daily driver (I've been WFH for most of the last 4 months, but my normal commute is only about 15 miles round trip).

The car has been a wonderful distraction during the shutdown. My son and I took it out on several long drives when the weather was cooler.

It's super fun to drive, and I easily fell back into the habit of driving a manual. When the weather is nice, nothing beats having the top down.

With that said, there are a few cons. Visibility with the top up is poor. It's a two seater, and the cabin is so tight, there isn't even a good place to put my sunglasses (trunk space is actually ok).

I get a lot of second looks/stares when I'm driving the car. There aren't many of them in my 'burb, and I'm a woman (which for whatever reason seems to surprise people when they see me driving it).

And EVERYONE wants to race. It's actually become comical. My son and I got a good laugh out of the guy in the 4-cylinder beat up Subaru who floored it at a light, thinking he even had a chance. I do like gun it when I'm leaving a red light, and I smoked a Tesla the other day (he wasn't paying attention). I guess I wounded his ego, because he made sure to floor it and show me who's boss at the next light.

I've been warned about the maintenance costs, but the car was in excellent condition when I got it, so I've probably got 2-3 years before I have to do anything more than an oil change.

I love driving the car and don't regret it for a second. I've become a Porsche snob, though, and I've always thought of the Corvette as the official car of 55+ men with toupees (even though I know another gal about my age who drives one).
Slamn Sharpe
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Flaith said:

hypeiv said:

Duncan Idaho said:

Are you looking for something to have fun in? Or something to get help you get laid? Or something to make you seem cool?

Can you work on cars? Or do you take your truck into the shop for everything thing?

The range is long from 'I cant turn a wrench, but i want to have fun and dont care about the being cool "(corvette)

To

"I want to be cool, have fun, can turn a wrench but dont care about getting laid (classic triumph, mg, sunbeam, bmw 2002, etc)

I want to have fun, cant fix cars and dont care about getting laid (miata)




So what do I buy if I do care about being cool and want to get laid!?!?!
1989 IROC-Z with a Motley Crue Dr. Feelgood tape stuck in the deck


What about an 87' Iroc? Yes, it's an IROC

ccolley68
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Those Jag roadsters were some of the sexiest cars ever made.

For what OP is looking for, I think the older Aston Martin is the winner. Get one of those more exotic cars like that people don't see all the time. Corvettes and the like are everywhere, and people recognize them and know the vintage off hand. If OP is looking to get laid and impress the ladies, an Aston Martin is always cool. ****s also don't see enough of them to know if you just pulled a brand new one off the lot, or if it's a 10 year old model.
tony
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The one glaring omission I've seen is a lotus Elise. Crazy exotic looks but a Toyota power plant underneath it. If you are going and limber enough to get in and out of them then it should be considered.

A lot of the suggestions to me should be classified as gt cars, not sports cars.

Also the saying "it's more fun to drive a slow car fast then a fast car slow" is so very true. For a lot of these cars the most you can ever really get on the throttle during normal driving is a few seconds without risking jail time. That's why something like the Elise or s2000 is actually more fun for me. I can actually drive it like a sports car far more often than a viper or vette and stay out of jail.
78_Pacecar
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If you're looking to get laid the 2021 F150 seats are supposed to lay all the way flat.

I hear the white ones are real popular here.
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